Always made to be a man. Never treated like a king.
If you haven’t read Shakespeare’s Henry V, I’ll give you the no-frills version. After becoming king, the young Henry V of England lays claim to parts of France. The Dauphin of France retaliates with an insult (a chest of tennis balls — essentially calling Henry an inexperienced youth), so Henry invades France. After a miraculous win at the Battle of Agincourt, the English win, the French are forced to sign away their country, and Henry marries Catherine, the beautiful daughter of the French king. Netflix’s The King (2019), inspired by the play, reiterates these events.
Henry V and The King supposedly take their content from real-life history, but, thanks to Shakespeare, the popular story that has survived is incomplete. Both forms of media suffer from a glaring lack of women. (Yes, women did exist in the 15th century, and their roles were important.) After taking an online deep dive into history, I became fascinated by one person absent from the narrative: Isabeau of Bavaria, the Queen of France. Vilified as treasonous, repulsive, and frivolous, Isabeau’s role is integral to the story of France.
Early life
Let’s take a step back. Elisabeth von Wittelsbach was born in Bavaria (part of Germany) around 1370. Her parents were Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria, and Taddea Visconti, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Milan. In 1385, at 15 years old, Elisabeth married 16-year-old King Charles VI of France, who was said to fall in love with her portrait. Historians have debated her appearance for years, with contradictory claims of Elisabeth as “a smoldering red-headed temptress,” and “enveloped by ugly skin.” As Charles married Elisabeth with no dowry, she likely was an attractive woman and may have taken after her mother’s Italian side.
Upon arriving in France, Elisabeth was forced to adopt the more extravagant French clothing style and learn French etiquette. Her name was also changed to Isabel. Her heavy German accent never diminished, however, making her a permanent outcast at the French court. In fact, the surviving moniker “Isabeau” was likely created with the aim of disrespecting the young, foreign queen.
Four years after marrying Charles, on August 23, 1389, Isabeau’s coronation ceremony occurred at Notre Dame, celebrated with a lavish procession into Paris. Her marriage to Charles was likely very happy in the beginning. Charles bestowed many gifts upon his wife, including a palfrey saddle and two gold rings.
Madness
On August 5, 1392, Charles experienced his first symptoms of a lifetime struggle with mental illness. The symptoms (paranoia, hallucinations, delusions) could have stemmed from Charles’ earlier case of typhoid, which causes inflammation of the brain. After recovering, Charles gave Isabeau the legal authority to act as the primary educator of the Dauphin of France. Isabeau also became a member of the regency council, along with the dukes of Orleans and Burgundy. This was unprecedented for a medieval queen consort. Isabeau was only 22 years old at the time and had never been prepared for ruling responsibilities. She also had three children to attend to.
As the dukes feuded amongst themselves for power, Isabeau mediated their disputes and acted as an arbitrator, stepping into the role of king when Charles’ illness kept him confined for days. Charles often forgot who he was or who his wife was, and many accounts exist of him urinating on furniture or his clothes. Isabeau’s success as arbitrator caused Charles to grant her more governmental power, including the authority to deal with finance and business.
By 1403, Charles could no longer contribute at all to running France, and Isabeau became the leader of the regency council. Charles and Isabeau’s relationship was permanently strained, each living separate lives, though evidence suggests they never stopped caring about one another. Isabeau often prayed for Charles’ health with her children, and his sometimes violent bouts of madness caused her great distress.
Isabeau’s importance to France is not fiction; her story was merely erased.
Treaty of Troyes
The dukes fought to undermine Isabeau and control Charles VI, with both parties seeking support from England. In 1407, the Duke of Burgundy (John the Fearless) arranged the Duke of Orlean’s assassination. Then, in 1413, John encouraged the new king of England, Henry V, to claim the French throne for himself. This is where Shakespeare’s masculine war story comes in. In 1415, after the Battle of Agincourt, the English emerged victorious. The French, divided within, could not defend themselves from further English attacks. During this time, Isabeau lost her two eldest sons and became imprisoned for six months. Eventually, Henry V took control of Normandy, and Charles VI agreed to the Treaty of Troyes, which disinherited the French dauphin. It also created a proposed union between England and France through Henry V’s marriage to Catherine, one of Isabeau’s daughters.
While Charles VI agreed to the Treaty, he was unable to attend the signing ceremony on May 21, 1420, due to his madness. Isabeau had to take his place at the ceremony, thus becoming the sole person responsible for signing away France and betraying the dauphin. It was easy for the public to turn on Isabeau with hatred — they had never forgotten that she was a foreigner, and her public opinion was ruined for the rest of her life. Both Charles VI and Henry V died in 1422, with Isabeau living until 1435.
Conclusion
Isabeau’s character has not been treated kindly by history. Among other things, she has been accused of being evil, hideous, a terrible mother, a promiscuous adulterer, a witch, and a poor wife. History is obsessed with disparaging her looks and debating her sexuality. All of these attacks stem from Isabeau’s position as a woman with power, and they feel unnervingly reminiscent of the things we hear and read about in the news today.
It’s important to correct the legacy of women who are slandered and erased by history. Isabeau of Bavaria gave birth to 12 children in 21 years and ruled France without her husband or any friends to guide her. She stepped up into the role of king and held the country together during a time when women were expected to be submissive, subservient, and silent.
Isabeau’s importance to France is not fiction; her story was merely erased. Or “man-washed,” as I’d like to say. Present and active during every step of the French and English conflict, future retellings of Henry V must include Isabeau’s role to be considered historically accurate.
This article is part of #FeminsimUncovered, a series created by Chloe E. Hummel to tell the remarkable stories of women erased by history.